I haven't been around much lately, but I endured a horrible experience yesterday. Since the cat is doing much better and my mind is at ease, I now have room to feel extremely ticked off.
My mother dosed the cat with Bio Spot, which she was told was just basically a generic version of Frontline. She read the package - no horrific warnings or list of nasty things that could happen. In hindsight, perhaps some quick Google-action wouldn't have gone amiss, but hindsight is 20/20 and when you purchase something at the pet store, you have the (perhaps false) assumption that is safe.
The cat began acting strangely, but that was chalked up to him being annoyed, as usual, over having the stuff put on him. It only got worse, ending with him having horrible seizures, finishing up with a grand mal. All I can say is thank God for the emergency vet in the area. He was treated for flea medicine toxicity and kept over night. Today he is doing much better, still dopey from the Valium and a bit twitchy (for 4-5 days, they said), but his spirits are better and he's gotten back to his usual self. Although no one said it aloud at the time, I think we were all sure he was going to die in our arms - it was not looking good. Not only was it traumatizing for the poor cat, but for us as well.
Since then, I have been looking online and many people have suffered because of this (and other over the counter) flea meds. Many not being as lucky as us and losing their beloved pet.
I cannot even fathom how these products are allowed to be sold, considering how many instances there are of death or at the very least, extreme distress. The insecticide in these over the counter meds attack flea and ticks' nervous systems, but cannot distinguish between the nervous system of a bug and an animal or human. Some animals can tolerate it, others obviously can't. I don't know about anyone else, but I do not think a pet should have to 'tolerate' anything like this. The label says that if any sensitivity should occur, bathe your pet. The problem with that is that this medicine does not work topically. It is absorbed into the bloodstream. Not only that, animals (particularly cats) groom themselves so may ingest it.
We will definitely be contacting them about the $500 vet bill and then we will be contacting the media. I know it may seem like the blame should rest on pet owners' shoulders, but your average person has faith (quite probably misplaced faith) in medicine that is given to you and is supposed to protect your animals. This product should not be sold and I would strongly urge everyone on here to not use Bio Spot or any of the other over the counter flea meds. Even if a reaction does not occur, the risk of it is too big to take. Watching a pet having a severe seizure is not an experience I would wish on anyone.
Sorry for the rant - I needed to get it off my chest as well as send a warning out. I will definitely be handing over a bag of DE to my parents - that's for sure!
My mother dosed the cat with Bio Spot, which she was told was just basically a generic version of Frontline. She read the package - no horrific warnings or list of nasty things that could happen. In hindsight, perhaps some quick Google-action wouldn't have gone amiss, but hindsight is 20/20 and when you purchase something at the pet store, you have the (perhaps false) assumption that is safe.
The cat began acting strangely, but that was chalked up to him being annoyed, as usual, over having the stuff put on him. It only got worse, ending with him having horrible seizures, finishing up with a grand mal. All I can say is thank God for the emergency vet in the area. He was treated for flea medicine toxicity and kept over night. Today he is doing much better, still dopey from the Valium and a bit twitchy (for 4-5 days, they said), but his spirits are better and he's gotten back to his usual self. Although no one said it aloud at the time, I think we were all sure he was going to die in our arms - it was not looking good. Not only was it traumatizing for the poor cat, but for us as well.
Since then, I have been looking online and many people have suffered because of this (and other over the counter) flea meds. Many not being as lucky as us and losing their beloved pet.
I cannot even fathom how these products are allowed to be sold, considering how many instances there are of death or at the very least, extreme distress. The insecticide in these over the counter meds attack flea and ticks' nervous systems, but cannot distinguish between the nervous system of a bug and an animal or human. Some animals can tolerate it, others obviously can't. I don't know about anyone else, but I do not think a pet should have to 'tolerate' anything like this. The label says that if any sensitivity should occur, bathe your pet. The problem with that is that this medicine does not work topically. It is absorbed into the bloodstream. Not only that, animals (particularly cats) groom themselves so may ingest it.
We will definitely be contacting them about the $500 vet bill and then we will be contacting the media. I know it may seem like the blame should rest on pet owners' shoulders, but your average person has faith (quite probably misplaced faith) in medicine that is given to you and is supposed to protect your animals. This product should not be sold and I would strongly urge everyone on here to not use Bio Spot or any of the other over the counter flea meds. Even if a reaction does not occur, the risk of it is too big to take. Watching a pet having a severe seizure is not an experience I would wish on anyone.
Sorry for the rant - I needed to get it off my chest as well as send a warning out. I will definitely be handing over a bag of DE to my parents - that's for sure!
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